Spotify has removed an estimated 75 million tracks from its platform in one of the biggest content cleanups in streaming history.
The move is part of Spotify’s effort to combat AI-generated spam that exploits the platform’s royalty system.
The company has emphasized that the crackdown does not target artists who use AI as a creative tool.
Instead, it focuses on mass-produced, low-quality uploads created solely to manipulate streaming payouts.
Spotify Targets AI Spam, Not AI-Assisted Music
Spotify said the issue is not AI itself but the growing number of tracks generated in bulk with little or no creative effort.
Industry insiders have described these uploads as “AI slop” because they are produced quickly and published in massive quantities.
According to Spotify Senior Director Sam Duboff, text-to-song AI tools can now generate complete tracks within seconds.
Some users have taken advantage of that speed by flooding the platform with thousands of nearly identical songs.
The platform currently receives around 100,000 new uploads every day.
Industry estimates also suggest that AI-generated content now accounts for nearly half of all new music arriving on streaming platforms.
How the Royalty Scam Works
Fraudsters often upload large collections of generic ambient sounds, meditation music, or repetitive instrumental loops under fake artist names.
They then use bots to generate artificial streams, frequently placing the tracks in background or focus playlists where listeners rarely pay attention to the artist.
Those fake streams draw money from Spotify’s shared royalty pool. As a result, legitimate musicians receive a smaller share of streaming revenue.
For many independent artists, that reduction directly affects their royalty income.
Read more: Spotify Top 50 Shows Sharp Decline in Explicit Songs
Detection Systems and Copyright Protections
Spotify has clarified that creators can continue using AI tools as part of a legitimate creative process.
The platform only takes action when users abuse the system or violate its policies.
To strengthen enforcement, the company has upgraded its machine-learning systems to detect suspicious upload activity and bot-generated streams.
The company has also banned unauthorized AI voice cloning.
Any track that imitates an established artist’s voice without permission may be removed.
Spotify has introduced additional safeguards to prevent third parties from scraping its music catalog to train AI models without proper licensing agreements.
Industry Calls for Greater Transparency Beyond Spotify
The broader music industry is also pushing for clearer standards around AI-generated music.
Organizations such as the IFPI and RIAA want streaming services to identify whether a track is AI-generated, AI-assisted, or entirely human-made.
Supporters believe better labeling would help listeners understand what they are hearing.
It would also provide stronger protection for artists whose voices, music, or identities could otherwise be copied without consent.
Although removing 75 million tracks marks a major step, Spotify’s efforts are unlikely to end there.
AI music generation is becoming faster and more accessible.
Streaming platforms now face growing pressure to separate authentic creative work from content designed to exploit the system.